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Araki stumbled through the cave, shaking off the traces of the siren song. I pretended not to notice his half-aroused state.
“I was beginning to worry that the sirens took your life,” I quipped.
Araki shot me a look as he approached the bodies and started to assess them.
I bit my lip and waited anxiously to see if he’d notice the mark too. I expelled a sigh of relief when he didn’t say anything or seem to have noticed it.Am I the only one who can see it?
“I should have protected them better,” Araki said quietly. I bit the inside of my cheek, my heart racing from what I had just discovered.
“I should have investigated harder, quicker. I could have prevented this…at least some of the needless deaths if I’d just listened to Klaus and investigated the disappearances sooner.” He turned away from the bodies.
A wave of guilt coursed through me. Araki had been poorly for a while, even after we returned to the palace. If I hadn’t accidentally teleported us to the Forest of Shadows, he’d have had at least five extra days of questioning.
“What did the sirens say?” I asked instead. I had no comforting words to offer him, nothing sincere enough.
“The water carries all with it and lives on no matter what. It washes away blood, but it carries secrets of its own, and so, it divulges itself to us. The sirens described to me a woman with white eyes and white hair. With fangs as sharp as a mermaid’s teeth, blood dried down her chin as if it was old. They don’t think she was the one who killed these people, but she was the one who disposed of them. They said she wasseen commanding night walkers in small groups, gatherings happening at night. They’re killing the poor, targeting less lavish areas where nobody will notice they’re gone. The sirens thought the duchess was the first victim with proper social standing.” Araki told me.
“She doesn’t fit the description of the Bruxsa from the tavern,” I noted.
“No, we should go.” Araki straightened.
We walked out of the cave and swam back up. The sirens didn’t come after us this time around. We broke through the surface and swam to the land. It was raining. Our clothes and horses were still where we had left them. I felt the magic of the mermaid leave me as I put on back my wet clothes. We dressed in silence and I watched as Araki relatively dry his wings with a spell.
“They gave me locations to scope out,” Araki announced, breaking the silence. “I’m going there next. Take my horse with you.”
“I want to come with you,” I needed to know if the coven was involved and to do so, I’d need to check other victims.
“No, I’d rather you stay back this time. You’ve helped enough.”
“Why?” I challenged.
“Return to the palace,” He ordered, his voice brooking no argument.
“Fine,” I grumbled and watched him fly in the direction opposite the palace.
Afflicted with more questions than answers, I returned to the palace, the rain beating down on me.
The Agreement
Reilyn
The sun had gone down hours ago, and Araki was yet to return to the palace. I stared at the barely eaten food on my plate with disinterest. I was feeling excessively apprehensive. Lifting the goblet to my lips, I finished the wine in it.
“You can take this away, please,” I told the servant waiting at the far end of the dining room.
“Is the food not to your liking? I can have the chef cook you something else.” The servant asked when she noticed my barely touched plate.
“The food tastes good as always,” I reassured her with a tight smile and lied. “I snacked earlier.”
“Alright. Should I bring you dessert?” The servant asked while picking up the dishes.
I waved her off. “No. I’m retiring for the night.”
She gave me a polite smile. “Have a goodnight, My lady.”
“You as well.”
My eyes drifted to the clock on the wall for the umptieth time. Ten o’clock. Sighing, I retired to my bedroom. I changed into a sleeping gown and then climbed onto the bed.
